Ministry in Times of War and the Formation of a Cohesive Worldview

Serving in times of war is not only a test of faith, but also a challenge to the depth of one’s worldview.

This is the story of Mykhailo Abakumov, a minister from Donetsk whose spiritual journey weaves through front lines, censorship, emigration, and the pursuit of wholeness in an age of collapse.

Studying at UETS became more than just an academic endeavor—it was a profound rethinking of the Christian’s role in a suffering society.

Through media, apologetics, and service to refugees, he continues to shine light where darkness feels the deepest.

Born in Donetsk, Mykhailo served in a daughter church just 7 km from the front line until 2022. As most members left, the elderly remained—those he and a friend tried to care for.

At the same time, he was studying at Ukrainian Evangelical Theological Seminary (UETS), occasionally crossing into Ukrainian-controlled territory for sessions. This highlighted the contrast between life under occupation and life in free Ukraine.

In 2022, as new restrictions were imposed in Donetsk—banning communication with the West and even mentioning the war—Mykhailo voiced his position online. He was summoned to the local religious department for “interviews.” Realizing the danger, he fled.
After a short stay in Germany, he settled in Lublin, Poland, where he now serves in a Ukrainian church supporting refugees with adaptation, discipleship, and evangelistic events.

“A missile destroyed our home in Donetsk. My parents survived. We’re in touch, though not very close.”

In his frontline church, Mykhailo regularly preached and ministered to the elderly—although he had longed to work with youth. Still, he faithfully served where God had placed him.

” I wanted to be among young people, but saw the responsibility of serving those entrusted to me.”

His media ministry—interactive videos, posts, articles—drew in younger audiences and helped expand his outreach.

Mykhailo grew up in a family skeptical of church due to his parents’ negative experiences. At 15, battling depression and suicidal thoughts, he decided to investigate the question of God rationally.

” I read both atheists—Dawkins, Hitchens—and Christian apologists like John Lennox and William Lane Craig. I saw that Christianity has weighty arguments.”

He began publishing translated apologetics content online. William Lane Craig had a major influence on him and helped connect him to a global apologetics network.

” My first project was called ‘Reasonable Faith’ in Russian, launched before the full-scale war. After 2022, we started the Ukrainian-language project ‘Faith & Reason,’ which we now actively develop on social media.”

His team now produces podcasts, lectures, and interviews with well-known apologists and adapts Western resources for the Ukrainian context.

” Our audience is small—intellectual faith isn’t for everyone. But we serve seekers, just as Christ served the few.”

Seminary studies helped him rethink not just faith, but theology’s role in society.

” In Donetsk, saying a war could be just was like denying the Trinity—completely contradictory to Christian teaching. Few knew the concept of just war has deep Christian roots, from Augustine to Aquinas.”

Mykhailo admits he had long postponed engaging with war theology, focusing instead on loving enemies. Now he believes truth must be spoken at the right time and context.

 Despite fruitful ministry, the challenges are real. Chief among them: financial strain and difficulties with fundraising.
Also, resistance from fundamentalism:

Another challenge: opposition from other worldviews, including threats from some Muslim groups. Yet the biggest challenge remains the call to open-mindedness.

” At UETS I learned that recognizing multiple perspectives is valuable. Not everything has a clear-cut answer—and that’s not weakness, it’s maturity.”

Today, Mykhailo continues serving as a pastor, missionary, and apologist—understanding that a holistic worldview isn’t built overnight.
It’s a path of struggle, sacrifice, and faithfulness.